Edge of Night: Clouded Future, Clouded Past
by Padme Evenstar
Summary: When ObiWan gives into his rage, a new man emerges: Cloud. Follow his sad adventures as he travels planet to planet, trying to erase his past.
1. Duel of the Wrong Fate

**Clouded Future, Clouded Past**

**Chapter 1. Duel of the Wrong Fate**

Obi-Wan Kenobi dashed down the electron-gate corridor leading to the melting pit as soon as the first gate, which he was behind, was open. He barreled down the corridor full speed, trying to get beyond the last gate before it shut. He didn't make it. He slid to a stop as the last gate closed before him. He looked anxiously toward the two warriors just beyond it. His master, Qui-Gon Jinn, was out there, fighting the evil Sith lord, Darth Maul. Obi-Wan could feel his Master's fatigue, saw the strain in his face. He worried about Qui-Gon.

Suddenly a mental image flashed through his mind. He saw the Sith lord raising his blade to strike his dear Master down, saw the bright red blade slice through cloth and flesh, felt the pain as his beloved Master crumpled to the ground. At first, he was not sure what to make of it, whether or not it was simply his own worries. But as it played through his mind again, he understood. It was the future. Filled with a boiling, red hot rage and hatred, he slashed with his lightsaber at the side panels, cutting the power to the electron-gate that barred his path. He had to stop this image from becoming reality!

As he rushed forward, he saw Darth Maul raising his saber for the kill, then turn as he felt the intense anger flowing with a rush toward him. He faced his enemy with an evil grin on his face, then drooped the smirk as he saw the fury with which his opponent was bearing down on him. Obi-Wan came in full speed, hacking and slashing with his saber, every ounce of his energy bent on killing this menace. Qui-Gon stepped back in shock as the wave of anger and hatred hit him like a slap in the face, his lightsaber still activated and in a ready position. The two fierce warriors continued to fight to the death, each searching for the opening that would mean the ultimate defeat and death of the other. They circled the melting pit, Obi-Wan slashing away, and Maul doing all he could to keep him away. Obi-Wan was gaining an advantage, and that only fueled him further, his hatred of this striped menace growing with every cut and slash. Finally, he found the opening he was looking for; Maul had lowered his defense, counting on his opponent's fatigue to work in his favor. He miscalculated. Obi-Wan's bright blue blade plunged into his chest. He could smell the odor of scorched flesh as the laser went through his enemy's heart, felt the exhilaration as the evil Sith Lord crumpled dead to the ground. He stood triumphant over the body of his opponent, looking at his Master across the pit. He found he could not meet Qui-Gon's saddened, piercingly questioning gaze. He knew he should be ashamed of his hatred, should release it before he was in too deep, before it took hold of him, but he found he couldn't. He didn't want to. He dropped his eyes to the ground, angry with Qui-Gon for not recognizing his triumph, angry at his opponent for provoking him into such actions, angry with himself for allowing himself to be provoked.

Above it all, a satisfying, exhilarating, boiling, red hot rage was still coursing through his body. Suddenly, a terrible anger boiled up next to it, anger at Qui-Gon for never letting him experience such a satisfying feeling. He raised his eyes to meet his Master's. He knew his Master could see the flashing anger in his eyes, but he didn't care. Until he saw the sadness in the Jedi Master's eyes as he watched his Padawan going through such a change. He stood there until he could not bear his Master's disappointed gaze any longer. He had altered time like he had wanted to. Now he rushed out through the service door that was next to the melting pit, quickly deciding there was no way he could stay with the Jedi Order now. Nor could he go around the pit, back to his Master. He did not know how he would react if his Master were to reprimand him, and he did not want to risk his dear Master's life or sorrow. He would have to leave, find a new life for himself. And he would have to do it quickly.

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As Obi-Wan ran through the streets of Theed, he began to think about what he was doing. _There's still time,_ he thought. _I can still go back! But no, it is too late. I must now find a new life for myself. That includes a new name, so nobody can find me._ After thinking for a moment, running names and words through his mind, he settled on the name Cloud. 

He continued through Theed toward the hanger. If he could only borrow a ship, he could get away. He entered the hanger and located a small, sleek craft that would be perfect. Now, if only it were not guarded. He looked around, but didn't see any guards. He made his way toward the ship. Suddenly, he looked to each side. Qui-Gon was coming toward him from the right, and Padmé Amidala from the left. They were obviously trying to intercept him, trying to stop his decision. He stepped up his pace, then became dismayed when the others did likewise. Doubtless Qui-gon had told Padmé what had happened. He couldn't let them catch him, or...he couldn't think what might happen.

"Stop!" Padmé called out. "Don't! You...you don't understand!" His Master called his name. Cloud kept running. He jumped into the ship, not heeding the eager, saddened calls of the other two. "Obi-Wan, don't do this!" Qui-Gon called out. "You can still turn around! You can come back! It's not too late!" _Yes, it is, _he thought sadly. He couldn't endanger his master like this. He wasn't sure what it would be like if he stayed. That's why he had to leave. He fired up the engines and took off from the beautiful Naboo. He wasn't sure where he was going, but he knew he just couldn't stay here.


	2. Trouble on Corellia

A/N: Sorry this took so long, but I've got so much other stuff goin' on, as those of you reading my other fanfics know...Jandalf, I don't know if you'll see this, but I'm sorry to "victimize" your boyfriend like this! Dear Master, I know this is not a really good story, and this chapter is kinda choppy, so I'm sorry. I'm just trying to get a backstory for this character that I'm going to be using in another fanfic...therefore, without much more talk...Chapter 2!

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**Chapter 2: Trouble on Corellia**

The _Stormcloud_ glided into the Corellia spaceport. The guard at the hangar had given the pilot explicit orders: "Land, pay, be on your way. No causing trouble. We have enough trouble with the other visitors. Some gang showed up last week and started picking fights. They're in jail now. I don't think you want that happening to you, do you?" Of course, the pilot didn't want any trouble. He was here on business, and would be leaving soon, off to another planet to seek the unreachable: answers.

As the ship set down, Cloud glanced around the interior. His goal was to transform the empty space into adequate living quarters. Although he might never be completely self-sufficient, he wanted to be able to avoid contact with other worlds as much as possible. So far he wasn't having much luck.

He was about to leave when he realized that he didn't have any money. He could sell something, but what was there to sell? He knew the answer already. Nothing. He had left Naboo with nothing more than the clothes on his back, his lightsaber, and the equipment on his belt. Well, he could just take off. But what then? Land on another planet just to discover that he still had no money to pay a landing fee? No, he had to find some way. Perhaps there was something on board the ship.

Cloud then executed a thorough search of the _Stormcloud_'s interior, top to bottom. He wasn't sure what he was searching for, but he was able to take stock of what he had. He found sufficient sleeping quarters, a refresher, several storage containers and cabinets, and a communications control room that could easily be modified for transmission interception.

He was looking in one of the storage cabinets when he found something he wasn't expecting. The cabinet was heaped with aurodium ingots, one of the most precious forms of currency in the galaxy. He checked the next cabinet, and the next and the next. When he got to the end of the wall, he had counted seven cabinets full of aurodium, and one half full. Obviously it had been used for something, but who knows what.

He scooped up a handful and put in a small sack in order to take it with him. He glanced around once more before exiting the ship. As he walked down the ramp, he thought again about the hangar guard's orders: No causing trouble. Well, he didn't intend to cause any trouble. In truth, he didn't even want to be seen, really. He just wanted to conduct his business and leave without any disturbance. He walked up to the guard and handed him a few ingots of the precious aurodium. "I hope this will suffice," he said with a smirk. The guard just gaped at the ingots, then back at Cloud.

The guard stumbled over his words for a few minutes, then finally managed to get out a few words. "Who did you steal them from?"

Cloud stared the guard in the eye and answered, "That is none of your concern, where I got them from, is it? It's my landing fee, and I suggest you let me through, no questions asked." The guard hastily nodded his agreement and waved him through. Cloud was finally on his way in the capital of Corellia.

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The first thing he did was to find somewhere where he could exchange the aurodium for currency. It was a precious mineral, but was not accepted as currency in many places in the galaxy. Fortunately, it could easily be exchanged for Republic credits on Corellia. The real trick was knowing how much the ingots were worth so that you didn't get cheated. Cloud completed his exchange and went on to do business at a junkyard. He was good with mechanical things, so why waste money on something brand new? After buying some equipment and supplies, he headed back to the _Stormcloud_. He had just finished loading everything onto the ship and was heading back toward the city to make sure he didn't need anything else, when he saw what he had been hoping not to see. A gang of thugs was heading toward him, having obviously been tipped about his strange fortune. He braced himself for the worst.

"Hey, you! Come here, we wanna talk to ya!" the leader called out. He was a three-eyed Gran from Malastare, Cloud noted, quite a fearsome species. His companions were a Gotal, a Rodian, two Twi'leks, and three humans, a formidable bunch to say the least. Cloud watched them approach with an icy gaze, his hand straying to the lightsaber on his belt. The Gran strode up to him menacingly and stopped with his three eyes at Cloud's eye level, staring at him threateningly. "Where's your money, offworlder?" the thug asked.

Cloud glared at him. "Why do you want to know?" he asked. He didn't want any trouble, but it seemed trouble had found him nonetheless. It ticked him off that he couldn't conduct business without some run-in, and it showed well in his eyes and his voice.

The Rodian stepped forward a little and looked Cloud in the eye. "Because, that's why!" he shouted. One of the humans grinned and moved behind Cloud, the other two next to him. Soon he was surrounded, with the Gran still right in front of him. He wasn't nervous about this group, but one could never be too careful. His muscles were tense and ready as he turned back to the gang leader.

"My money is my business," he said in an icy tone, his eyes blazing with an unbidden but natural hatred. The gang leader scoffed at him and moved for his blaster. He never took a shot. In a flash, Cloud's lightsaber snapped to life and cut the Gran through the heart. One of the Twi'leks drew a blaster and shot at him, but Cloud spun around and deflected the shot right back at him. Blaster fire suddenly rang out all around him. The leaderless gang had suddenly jumped into action and was trying to destroy their opponent as quickly as possible. Cloud blocked most of the shots and took down two of the humans before long. The Gotal was soon dispatched, and the other Twi'lek with him. But the Rodian was a better shot than any of them.

Cloud moved to deflect shots from the remaining human while the Rodian crept behind him. The last human thug was soon down, but something was wrong. Cloud spun around, but not soon enough. One laser found its way past his bright blade and into his shoulder, burning through his arm. He turned and slashed the Rodian down at last. With the fracas over, he headed back toward his ship. He intended on getting off the planet before he could be recognized for being a part of the fight.

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Please review! I don't have any reviews on this story besides my brother! Foral, I still appreciate your reviews! Keep 'em comin'!


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